It always hurt when your relationship with a loved one ends and it’s never easy, trust me. So if you are going through a heartbreak, I perfectly understand how you are feeling.

Well, you can remain heartbroken forever, right? You definitely have to move on because you were neither the first to be dumped and won’t be the last either.

I know everyone is telling you that you’ll be fine. To some extent, they’re right. You will be okay. But feeling good again won’t happen overnight. It’s going to take time.

Regardless of who broke up with who, this was someone you spent a good amount of time with. Someone you loved.

But when it comes to handling a breakup, there’s tons of advice out there. And it all tells you different things. All that information can become overwhelming.

Do you rebound? Do you spend time on your own? Or do you go party as you’ve never partied before? There’s no straight answer.

At the end of the day, listen to your body and gut. They’ll tell you when you’re ready to go out and meet new people. But if you’re feeling stuck, don’t worry. We all need a little guidance on what to do after a breakup.

#1 Cry it out: I know you want to wallow in self-pity, and you know what, you should. Take some time to sit with yourself and have a good cry. Though people advise against this, you need to start the grieving process. Keeping your emotions bottled inside of you won’t help you at all. So, have a good cry when you feel like it.

#2 Get rid of your ex’s things: You don’t need to burn them in a fire. Of course, you can if you want to, but putting them away in a box is also okay. However, if you wish to dispose of their things, do it. What’s important is you remove all items that remind you of them for the time being.

#3 Scream it out: That’s right. Scream it out. Of course, make sure you do it in the privacy of your own home. But screaming can release a lot of pent up tension and stress. Sometimes writing things down or exercising isn’t enough. In that case, scream it out.

#4 Avoid drastic changes: Yes, I know you think shaving your head would be a great idea, but why don’t you hold off on that for a little bit. You should never make drastic decisions when you’re emotional. Wait a couple of weeks until you feel clearer in your head. You don’t want to do something drastic and immediately regret it.

#5 Write a letter to your ex: You don’t need to send it to them. But writing them a letter will help give you closure. It won’t be easy to do. You’ll probably be balling your face off, but that’s okay. In the letter, write to them everything you wanted to tell them. Once you’re done, you’ll feel ten pounds lighter.

#6 Sweat it out: When processing a breakup, you’re going to be feeling a lot of mixed emotion, which means you’ll find yourself stressed and angry. You may wonder why you aren’t healing or what to do after a breakup to just completely overcome your ex. The best way to channel this energy is through working out. Go for a walk, try yoga, lift weights, it doesn’t matter what you do. Choose an activity that makes you exert your energy and keeps you zen.

#7 Spend time with loved ones: Your friends and family are the people who truly love and support you no matter what you’re going through. You need to surround yourself with those people. Right now, it’s a sensitive time, and you need to see that your partner isn’t the only one who loves you.

#8 Travel around: You don’t need to do a crazy trip, but spend some time traveling around your country. A change of scenery can help put things in perspective for you; making you feel alive for the future. Plus, you never know who you’re going to meet.

#9 Party with your friends: This doesn’t mean you need to get blackout drunk, but it does mean you should be hanging out with your friends and having a good time. Go to a house party, go dancing at a club, have a movie night. Whatever it is, spend time with friends and share some laughs.

#10 Delete from social media: I know you want to creep them and trash talk them to your friends, but don’t do it. You need to delete them from everything. If not, it’ll take twice as long to get over them. It’s going to be hard to delete them, but trust me, it’ll make a world of difference.

#11 Take your time: You don’t need to have a new partner in a week or get married next month. Though you may feel like you want to dive into a new relationship, take your time when grieving. This isn’t something you’re going to recover from overnight. It may take months until you start to feel yourself again.

#12 Try a new hobby: This is a great time to invest in yourself. Spend this time focusing purely on yourself. Try new hobbies and discover new interests. Who knows where it’ll take you. Life is an adventure, and now is your time to explore for yourself.

#13 Go with the flow: You’re going to experience a wide range of emotions, but what’s important is you go with the flow. Don’t try to stop yourself from feeling something. Instead, let the emotions hit you and process them as you go.

#14 Don’t rush into dating: Many people make the mistake of rushing into a new relationship without processing their last breakup. This will only lead to disaster. You may think a new relationship will help you move on, but it won’t. Once this new relationship ends, you’re going to have a major breakdown. Give yourself time to grieve.

#15 Do what feels right: If you want to stay at home, then stay at home. If you want to go out, then go out. Though your friends may try to push you to do things, don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. You know your body and emotions better than anyone else. Listen to yourself.

#16 Forgive and move on: It will take some time to get to this point. But eventually, you’ll need to forgive your partner and move on with your life. Letting someone go isn’t easy, but you need to do it for you.

Breakups suck. But you shouldn’t stop living your life. If you want to process the breakup and move on emotionally, try out these tips for what to do after a breakup.